Train Ride

Look how cute we are! :) To get from Beijing, in Northern China down to Shenzhen, where the Gander and I live, you have two options: pay up for a plane ticket or enjoy a 24 hour train ride through the scenic countryside. Opting to save money and see more of China, the three of us went for the train ride.

Unfortunately, the 'soft sleeper' tickets were all sold out, so we had to go for hard-sleeper TOP BUNK tickets. The difference? Soft-sleeper gets you a comfy bed in a 4 person berth with a private door, where a hard-sleeper gets you a less comfy bed (but still with a mattress!) in a 6 person open berth. Top bunk is definitely pretty high up there, and can be a challenge to climb into!

Sis and I were in the same berth while my Dad was just one over- so close he could lean around the corner wall of his bed and chat with us. The Gander and I did this exact same train trip back in August when we first moved to China, with all of the people in the program we're a part of, so I was a bit more used to the accommodations, but I think Dad & sis survived just fine. We passed the hours sleeping, reading, chatting and eating a lot of instant noodles. :)

~The Goose